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South Africa

The People Living with HIV Stigma Index in The South Africa was done twice in 2012 and 2014.

Report 2012The sample included 621 respondents. Almost two thirds of the respondents were female (64.7%, N=511) over a third were male (35.1%, N=277) and two were transgender (0.2%).Nearly one third of the respondents were (32. 3%, N=256) were aged 30-39 years, nearly one quarter (23.5%, N=186) were aged 40-49 years, over 20% (21.7%, N=172) were aged 25-29, and approximately 5 % were youth aged 15-19 (6.6%, N=52) or those aged 50 or older (5.4%, N=43)More than half of respondents (58.6%, N=466) had been living with HIV for 1-4 years, over 30 % (31.9%, N=254) for 5-9 years, and under 105 between 10 and 14 years(9.1%, N=69). Nearly half of respondents were in relationship but not currently living together (46.8%, N=371) with a further 6.4% (N=51) married or cohabiting and currently living together, while slightly over 20% were married or cohabiting and currently living together (22.4%, N=178). Nearly a quarter of respondents (24.4%, N=193) were single, unmarried or widowed).Nearly 805 of respondents (78.6%, N=593) reported that they were sexually active.

Report 2014

A total of 10 473 people were included in the study. All respondents were HIV-positive.

Province and locality type

- 49% of respondents were from small towns or villages

- 31% were from rural areas

- 20% were from large towns or cities

Sex and age

- 65% of respondents were female

-The largest proportion of male and female respondents were between the ages of 30 to 39 years  Fewer youth (10%) aged 15 to 24 years and older adults aged 50 years or older (11%) made up the sample

Years living with a HIV diagnosis by age

- 50% of respondents reported living with a HIV diagnosis for five years and more

-12% reported 1 year and less of living with HIV

-36% of the youth aged 15 to 24 years reported living with HIV for one year and less

-16% of youth reported living with HIV for five years and more

-71% of the older respondents aged 40 to 49 years and 69% of those aged 50 years and older reported living with HIV for five years or more

Relationship status

- 40% of respondents reported having been in a relationship but not living together

- 24% were married or cohabiting and currently living with their husband/wife/partner in a household

- 21% of respondents reported a single relationship status

Sexual activity

-82% of the respondents reported that they were currently sexually active (i.e. at the time of the survey)